Compositions and methods for treatment of gcase related disease states

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions and methods of treating a neurodegenerative disease in an individual. The methods disclose administration of an Integrin α4β1, Very Late Antigen-4 positive neural precursor cell (“VLA4+ NPC”) transfected with a lentivirus overexpressing wild type GCase to an individual having a neurodegenerative disorder. The neurodegenerative disease may include lipid storage diseases, for example Gaucher disease, Parkinson's disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy bodies.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to and benefit of 62 / 458,628, filed Feb. 14, 2017. The contents of which are incorporated in their entirety for all purposes.BACKGROUND[0002]Lysosomal storage diseases such as Globoid cell leukodystrophy, GM2 gangliosidosis, Niemann-Pick C, Mucopolysaccharidoses, Fabry, Tay-Sachs, Sandhoff and Hypercholesterolemia and Gaucher Disease are associated with increased cellular immune inflammation and have limited treatment options. Gaucher disease (“GD”), in particular, is a rare disease with an incidence of about 1 in 60,000 in the general population and 1 in 850 among Ashkenazi Jewish populations. Worldwide there are about 121,522 Gaucher disease patients and here in the US, approximately 5000 Americans are suffering from this disease.[0003]GD results from mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene GBA1 causing functional disruption of the encoded lysosomal enzyme, acid beta-glucosidase, leading to excess accum...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method of treating neurodegenerative diseases by administering a special type of neural precursor cell that has been altered to produce a high level of an enzyme involved in breaking down a specific lipid. The treatment is intended to slow down or stop the progression of the disease in individuals with Gaucher disease or Parkinson's disease. The method may also be applied to individuals with other types of neurodegenerative diseases.

Problems solved by technology

Lysosomal storage diseases such as Globoid cell leukodystrophy, GM2 gangliosidosis, Niemann-Pick C, Mucopolysaccharidoses, Fabry, Tay-Sachs, Sandhoff and Hypercholesterolemia and Gaucher Disease are associated with increased cellular immune inflammation and have limited treatment options.

Currently, the cost to treat an individual with enzyme replacement therapy is significant, in the range of approximately $100,000 to $300,000 per year.

Similarly, substrate reduction therapy (e.g., eligustat and miglustat) is equally expensive.

While alternative treatments have potential, such as gene therapy, substrate reduction therapy, and alternative enzyme replacement products, such treatments have been hampered by limitations in the understanding of disease pathogenesis and toxicity concerns due to the blood brain barrier and procedural risks (particularly with respect to gene therapy methods).

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